Motivation: Missing in Today's Schools

In schools all over the nation, there are children who suffer from a lack of motivation. Some children, who were once eager learners, have lost the desire to learn as the years have passed. Why is this? What could cause a straight “A” student’s grades to slip and continue to stay in a slump until the end of high school? Why do other activities become more important than that of learning?

“Motivation focuses on the intention to learn” and can be general or specific (Yount 1996, 278). General motivation incorporates a broad attitude to learn a variety of subjects. “It resides in the learner rather than the teacher or class” (Yount 1996, 279). On the other hand, specific motivation “energizes a student toward a particular class or topic. It is more unstable, changing from class to class and topic to topic. It resides primarily in the teacher and the particular content to be learned” (Yount 1996, 279).

Motivation can also be either extrinsic or intrinsic. “Extrinsic motivation is impersonal and is based on rewards that originate from outside the learner. Students achieve in order to win parents’ approval, or to gain the praise of their teacher, or to earn high grades” (Yount 1996, 279). These learners are passive, and when the rewards stop, the good academic behavior does also.

“Intrinsic motivation is based on the personal satisfaction derived from achieving learning goals. Students achieve because of their own personal desire to learn […] and master their subjects” (Yount 1996, 279). These learners are active in the learning process.